Kenora Daily Miner and News

Grassy Narrows backs moratorium with eviction notices

December 14, 2007 By Mike Aiken

Grassy Narrows band members have taken their moratorium on resource development a step further by issuing eviction notices to logging companies. A note sent by e-mail to The Daily Miner and News reads, “We the clan mothers of Asubpeeschoseewagong, by the authority vested in us by the Creator (not foreign government i.e. Indian Act), represent the traditional territory of Asubpeeschoseewagong ‘the land,’ the animals, the spirits, the medicines, the waters … “We have an inherent Creator given right to be on this land and not to be disturbed. Under our traditional Anishinaabe Laws, you are here illegally and you are disturbing us and everything we represent. “You and your machines are asked to leave immediately.” The notes are being issued by band members associated with the logging road blockade at Slant Lake, which has been in place for five years.

Chief Simon Fobister said he was consulted on the issue, but hadn’t seen the actual notices. He said they back their push for a moratorium on development, while talks continue with the province’s representative, a former Supreme Court justice. He said

they’ve had talks with a quarry operator, who’d tried to remove samples from their traditional territory, as well as staff from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. “We’ve got to get the Hon. Frank Iacobucci to sit down with us as early as we can to deal with some of these issues,” Fobister said. The chief said talks last month in their community were of an introductory nature, and they hadn’t yet got to negotiating specifics, but was optimistic they could do so in the New Year. Environmentalist arrested Fobister was also concerned about the arrest of environmental activist David Sone, who was taken by Treaty 3 Police from a public band meeting in the community Thursday. Sone’s set to appear in Kenora court Friday morning, on charges he violated conditions of his release. Sone was initially charged following protests in 2006.